Switch



June 15, 1954 HOPKINS 2,681,393

SWITCH Filed June 16, 1952 I It :1: INVENTOR. I I LIONEL P. HOPKINS Patented June 15 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE swrron Application June 16, 1952, Serial No. 293,753

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to electric switches.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a switch of the multi-circuit variety which is of small size and still controls a large number of circuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch having a multiplicity of electrical contacts within a housing and a revolvable contactor shiftable for establishing electrical connection there with.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch wherein all the movable contacts are com tained within the housing whereby such contacts will be made sparkproof, dustproof, etc., when such features are desired or necessary.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description to be read in view of the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a cut-away view in perspective of a preferred form of switch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the switch comprises basically an elongated cylindrical casing II having a cover l3 at one end thereof. The cover l3 has an opening to accommodate a rotatable shaft l5, a portion of which extends exteriorly beyond the case H and cover i3 and the remainder extends into the casing H. For supporting the shaft I5, there is provided a hearing which is not described in detail as such bearing is conventional and forms no part of the invention. For effecting rotation of the shaft [5, a knob (not shown) can be secured to the exposed portion of the shaft by any conventional means, such as a set screw. Such knob can be either manually controlled or motor driven. The other end of the shaft l5 terminates in an enlarged rotor portion H, which, while shown as hexagonal in shape, may be of any desired geometric configuration and has a series of notches as shown, which rotor portion is revolvable with the shaft 15.

Secured about the periphery of the rotor portion I1 and equally spaced from each other are three substantially U-shaped contactor members designated generally as iii. In the specific embodiment shown herein, each rotatable contactor member 19 comprises mutually spaced spring-like leaf members 2|, 23 wherein one end of each of said members 2|, 23 terminates in a common base portion, which is afiixed to the rotor portion H. The free ends of the said leaf members 2|, 23 terminate in flattened contacts 24 and 26, respectively. The contacts 24 and 26 are adapted to physically and separately engage one of a plurality of terminals 25 as hereinafter set forth. In the embodiment shown herein, three such contactor members are shown which are arcuately positioned about rotor portion H, and of such length that the three contactors substantially engirdle the rotor.

The terminals 25 are longitudinally disposed within the casing and about a core 21, made of an insulating material, which has an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the casing H. The terminals 25 he in longitudinal grooves formed in the core 21. The core 21 can be secured to the case i I by any conventional means such as by bolts (not shown), thus holding the terminals securely in position within the casing. Each of the terminals 25 extends beyond the casing ll for connection to any desired electric circuitry. Within the casing three of the terminals 25 are provided with right angle arouate terminal extensions 29. As is evident from the drawing, it can be seen that the contact portion 2 5 of leaf member 2| of the contactor member i9 is in rotatable slidable engagement with extension 29, while the contact portion 26 of leaf member 23 is in rotatable slidable engagement with the ends of the remaining terminals 25, that is, all the terminals not having extensions 29 as heretofore described. Each of the extensions 29 has a radially extended lug 3i which is rigidly fixed into an opening 33 in the casing II for maintaining the extension 29 in place.

In operation, the shaft I5 is rotated thereby effecting movement of the contactor members i 9. In the course of such movement or rotation, the contact 24 of each contactor member l9 will electrically engage one of the extensions 29, while the contact one of 26 will electrically contact the remaining terminals. Thus, in step-by-step progression, a multiplicity of electrical connections can be accomplished.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A switch comprising a casing, a rotatable shaft longitudinally positioned within said casing,

a plurality of bar terminals that define a circle coaxial with said shaft and disposed within said casing, a plurality of said terminals extending beyond the common ends of the remainder of said terminals, each of saidextending terminals terminating in an arcuately shaped portion which together substantially engird said rotatable shaft, a plurality of contactors secured about said rotatable shaft, each of said contactors comprising two spaced contact elements, whereby when said shaft is rotated one of said contact elements of each of said contactors engages one of said arcuately shaped portion while the other of said contact elements engages at least one of said remaining terminals.

2. A switch comprising a casing, a rotatable shaft longitudinally positioned within said casing, a plurality of terminals longitudinally disposed within said casing that define a circle that is con centric with and spaced from said shaft, at least one of said terminals extending beyond the ends common to the remainder of said terminals and provided with an arcuately shaped contact por-- tion which extends beyond the end of at least an adjacent terminal in the arcuate direction, a. plurality of contactors secured about said shaft, each of said contactors comprising a substantially U-shaped member having two mutually spaced spring leaf members, whereby as said shaft is rotated the free end of one of said leaf members contacts said extended terminal and the other of said leaf members contacts at least one of said remaining terminals.

3. A switch comprising a casing, a rotatable shaft longitudinally positioned within said casing, a plurality of terminals longitudinally disposed within said casing that define a circle that is concentric with and spaced from said shaft, a plurality of said terminals extending beyond the ends common to the remainder of said terminals, each of said extended terminals provided with a right angle arcuate shaped extension contact portion, which together substantially engird said rotatable shaft, a plurality of contactors secured about said shaft, each of said contactors comprising a substantially U-shaped member having two mutually spaced spring leaf members, whereby as said shaft is rotated the free end of one of said leaf members contacts one of said extended terminals and the other of said leaf members contacts at least one of said remaining terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,064,157 Franklin Dec. 15, 1936 2,231,627 Hansen Feb. 11, 1941 

